Issues

Campaign themes

Excerpt: "We need greater investment throughout the educational system including early learning, K-12, and higher education."

Job Creation

Excerpt: "Creating good quality job opportunities is the single best thing we can do to help families that are struggling. The 3rd District ranks last in household income of all 49 legislative districts in the state. We need good, living-wage jobs that allow people to work with dignity and support their families."

Protection of our Natural Resources

Excerpt: "I was proud to be the prime sponsor of HB 1489, which will improve water quality in the Spokane River and in waterways all over the state."

Transportation

Excerpt: "Investments in transportation projects create the dual job creating benefit of providing short-term construction jobs while also building the infrastructure of our region’s economic future."

Healthcare

Excerpt: "A focus on wellness has to be at the center of any successful health care system. Our country's obesity epidemic is a direct result of inactivity and poor nutrition. Improved school nutrition and a transportation system that accommodates walking and biking are two key elements to making our community healthier and, as a result, lowering health care costs for all of us."

Washington House of Representatives, District 3a General Election (2010)

Candidates

Votes

Andy Billig (D)

20,291

Dave White (R)

13,348

Washington House of Representatives, District 3a Primary (2010)

Candidates

Votes

Percent

Dave White (R)

6,030

31.57%

Andy Billig (D)

5,894

30.86%

Bob Apple (D)

3,894

20.39%

Louise Chadez (D)

3,284

17.19%

Campaign donors

Comprehensive donor information for Billig is available dating back to 2010. Based on available campaign finance records, Billig raised a total of $366,096 during that time period. This information was last updated on September 19, 2013.[3]

Scorecards

Legislative scorecards are used to evaluate elected public officials based on voting record. Some scorecards are created by political advocacy groups with a focus on specific issues, while others are developed by newspapers and are broad in scope. Scorecards are meant to be used as a tool for voters to have a quick picture of whether their views align with a particular legislator's record.

Because scorecards can be specific to particular issues or general to a state’s legislative term, for example, each report should be considered on its own merits. Each entity that publishes these reports uses different methodologies and definitions for the terms used.

Missed Votes Report

In March 2014, Washington Votes, the state’s premier legislative information website, released its annual Missed Votes Report, which provides detailed missed roll call votes on bills for every state legislator during the 2014 legislative session.[5] The 2014 regular session included a total of 515 votes in the State House and 396 in the State Senate, as well as 1,372 bills introduced total in the legislature and 237 bills passed. Out of all roll call votes, 90 individual legislators did not miss any votes. 3 individual legislators missed more than 50 votes.[5] Billig missed 2 votes in a total of 1017 roll calls.

Freedom Foundation

The Freedom Foundation releases its Big Spender List annually. The Institute ranks all Washington legislators based on their total proposed taxes and fees. To find each legislator’s total, the Institute adds up the 10-year tax and fee increases or decreases, as estimated by Washington’s Office of Financial Management, of all bills sponsored or co-sponsored by that legislator.[6]

2012

Billig proposed a 10-year increase in state taxes and fees of $1.33 billion, the 41st highest amount of proposed new taxes and fees of the 93 Washington state representatives on the Freedom Foundation’s 2012 Big Spender List.

The Freedom Foundation also issued its 2012 Informed Voter Guide for Washington State voters, including a legislative score card documenting how Washington State legislators voted upon bills the Foundation deemed important legislation. The legislation analyzed covered budget, taxation, and pension issues.[7] A a sign indicates a bill more in line with the Foundation's stated goals, and a d sign indicates a bill out of step with the Foundation's values. Here's how Billig voted on the specific pieces of legislation:

2012 House Scorecard - Andy Billig

Bill #6636 (Balanced budget requirement)a

Bill #5967 (House Democrats budget)d

Bill #6582 (Local transportation tax increases)d

Bill #6378 (Pension reforms)a

Y

Y

Y

N

Personal

Billig lives in Spokane with his daughter. He serves on the board of the YMCA of the Inland Northwest, and in 2007 won the Northwest League's Joe Martin Award for service to baseball and the community.